a. Technical Field
The disclosure relates generally to automotive interior components, an apparatus for and method of manufacture thereof, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for and method of pressure bonding of a covering on an automotive interior component, which allows for press bonding of materials with complex shapes and angles.
b. Background Art
This background description is set forth below for the purpose of providing context only. Therefore, any aspects of this background description, to the extent that it does not otherwise qualify as prior art, is neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the instant disclosure.
Automobiles are commonly equipped with airbags for reducing driver and passenger injuries in the case of an accident. Automobile airbags are generally located in areas where a driver or passenger would potentially contact an automobile interior in the event of an accident. Airbags can reduce injuries by providing a substantially non-solid surface for the driver or passenger to contact, as opposed to the generally solid surfaces of the automotive interior. Although the functionality of the airbag is greatly valued, the visual appeal of the instrument panel, and invisibility of the airbag system are also of value to automobile manufacturers and consumers alike.
In order to install an airbag, the airbag is generally folded into a module that is installed into or behind an automotive interior component. The module housing a passenger-side airbag is generally installed on the underside of a hard substrate (molded to form the component, e.g., instrument panel), within a PSIR chute protruding behind the substrate. The substrate will generally have a pre-weakened area, allowing an airbag to release therethrough. A PSIR chute will be bonded to the substrate, and will generally include doors that line up with the pre-weakened area of the instrument panel. A known method for attaching a PSIR chute to an instrument panel (i.e., substrate) includes vibration welding the PSIR chute to the instrument panel, which is discussed in greater detail in the '479 application.
The aforementioned automotive interior components may include a hard substrate, an outer skin (e.g., TPO, Urethane, or PVC), and a polypropylene, polyethylene or polyurethane foam layer sandwiched therebetween. The outer skin is generally attached to the hard substrate to give the texture and appearance desired by the customers, and the foam layer provides or enhances the softness of the component. Premium touch skin materials (e.g., soft-touch, fabric-backed, leather-like materials) may be added through corner sewing, edge wrap, trimming, or combinations thereof.
It may be desirable to install an aesthetically-pleasing covering over the instrument panel, such as a “bilaminate” covering with a foam layer and a soft, leather-like layer. Use of a bilaminate covering can limit the choice of mechanisms to attach the PSIR chute to the instrument panel (and vice versa). For example, if the PSIR chute is attached to the instrument panel first using the method disclosed in the '479 application, which results in an undistorted base to support the bilaminate covering, then it may be difficult to press-bond the bilaminate covering onto the instrument panel due to the complex geometries of the PSIR chute. However, if the bilaminate covering is bonded to the instrument panel (i.e., substrate) first, then the options may be limited as to how to attach the PSIR chute to the instrument panel without visual distortion to the instrument panel and, thus, the bilaminate covering it supports.
The foregoing discussion is intended only to illustrate the present field and should not be taken as a disavowal of claim scope.